Metro Arts Program: Aug - Dec 2023

welcome to

metro arts 2023

What’s on

August to December – as the year slips away and parties become more prominent, Metro Arts offers something for everyone!

From Bollywood-fusion to circus ghosts, DIY environmental and ecological justice and a take on the humble sneaker (aka kicks, trainers, sports shoes…) we invite you to find your way into our program, meet our artists and get involved.

Metro Arts is a part of the community, and mindful at this time of important conversations with our First Nations people, Metro brings you two vital new works. Kuramanunya by Karul Projects.

Thomas E.S. Kelly has created a special dance piece as a voice for First Nations who have left us; for mobs who have not endured. We are also honoured to present Jody Rallah’s solo exhibition

Undercurrents - an immersive experience exploring Country. Come be a part of the conversation.

THEATRE / PERFORMANCE

ITEM by Dance Masala

Thurs 17 - Sat 19 August

X

On Heat by Leah Shelton

Wed 30 August - Sat 2 September

Personal by Jodee Mundy Collaborations

+ Critical Stages Touring

Wed 6 - Sat 9 September

Kuramanunya by Karul Projects

Wed 13 - Sat 16 September

Party Ghost by Double Take + Cluster Arts

Wed 20 - Sat 23 September

P.H.D.

House of Alexander

Thurs 2 November

She Is

Various Artists

Fri 17 November

EXHIBITIONS

HIV Science as Art

Various

Mon 24 July - Sat 5 August

X

Patterns for Future Living

Rae Haynes

Fri 1 - Sat 23 September

Undercurrents

Jody Rallah

Sat 30 September - Sat 28 October

JO THOMAS

CEO + ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

And, we also encourage you to find a new way of looking at the world. If you made a list of Every Brilliant Thing in your life or your world, what would be on there? (Hopefully hanging out at Metro Arts makes the list!)

Yours in art,

Every Brilliant Thing

That Production Company

Wed 4 - Sat 21 October

Spooktacular

Brisbaret | Various Artists

Tues 31 October

University of Canberra Honours Degree

Christine Miles and Marina Daniels

Thurs 2 - Sat 11 November

Torsion

Various Artists

Sat 9 December - Sat 27 January 2024

DISCOVER

DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW AT METRO ARTS

Metro Arts provides much needed space (physically and figuratively) for Australian artists to grow, create, develop, experience and carve out a sustainable and viable arts practice. Our public program includes diverse contemporary works across visual and performing arts – including music, cabaret, comedy, dance, theatre, visual arts exhibitions and more…

METRO ARTS EXISTS

TO ENSURE NEW ART IS CREATED TODAY, TOMORROW AND BEYOND.

For over 40 years we have been the incubator and launchpad for some of Australia’s finest new artists. We support artists every step of the way – from the early development of ideas through to presenting and touring work.

Metro Arts seeks to raise the profile of Australian artists and art forms, embedding a deeper understanding and appreciation of practice, process, and the value and legitimacy of Australian artists and the work they create.

ART IS WHERE WE LIVE

Every day within our galleries, theatre, workshops and studio spaces, there are artists taking risks, experimenting, developing and creating.

Today our head office is in West End, Brisbane, equipped with state-of-the-art galleries, artist studios and theatre facilities – all located down in Factory Lane, within the thriving West Village precinct

Our satellite-workshop & arts studio facility at Norman Park provides vital space for visual artists and the community to create, build and experiment.

CELEBRATING ALL VOICES AND STORIES

At Metro Arts, you’ll always be surprised, bewildered, entertained and amazed.

The stories you see here – you won’t see anywhere else.

Image: Brian Robinson. Ai Baud Tonar - Harvest Season Time. Palight plastics, feathers, shells, wood, raffia 180 x 270cm Commissioned for Precision (2023). Courtesy of the Artist, Mossenson Galleries, Perth and Onespace Gallery, Brisbane.

Photo by Louis Lim

ITEM

DANCE MASALA (NAKHRE CREW)

Dear Bollywood, I

HIV Science as Art

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Bringing the scientific advancements of HIV to life through the work of 12 extraordinary artists.

In a world first, this exhibition brings the outstanding scientific advancements in HIV to life through the work of 12 extraordinary artists living with HIV from around the world.

HIV Science as Art includes 12 original pieces of work that have been co-created between the HIV scientist and their companion artist. Everything from painting to photography and sculpture... with all funds raised going towards supporting community HIV programs and services in the Asia/Pacific region.

DATES 24 July - 5 Aug

OPENING HOURS

See metroarts.com.au for opening hours.

Weekend: See gallery for opening hours.

Fall in love with Bollywoodas both your lover, and your problematic ex. ITEM is a powerful contemporary dancetheatre that dares to challenge the well-established institution and romantic ideals of Bollywood.

Drawing inspiration from the letters and interviews from hundreds of women collected over the past three years, this captivating new work sheds light on the influence of Bollywoodand how the stories and media we consume can affect us, even subconsciously.

Directed by Lisa Fa’alafi (Hot Brown Honey), Item is brought to life by the talented Nakhre Crew, hailing from local Bollywood dance company - Dance Masala.

DATES

17 - 19 Aug

OPENING NIGHT

Friday 18 Aug

TIME

Thurs + Fri 7:30pm, Sat 3pm +7:30pm

TICKETS

$29 - $35

SUITABLE

DURATION

60 mins

This is an all ages event, recommended for ages 10+

ARTIST Q&A POST SHOW

Sat 19 August, 3pm

WORKSHOP

Catch a piece of the Bollywood action with a Bollywood dance workshop!

Join Andrea Lam (@dreachoreo), the Director of Dance Masala for this fun workshop and learn how to dance Bollywood. All dance levels and abilities are welcome.

When: Tues 18 July

Time: 7pm

Cost: $10 + booking fee

Age: All ages, recommended. Ages 15+

IAS AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AUSTRALIA

Photo: Julian Palma

love you but we need to talk…

Personal

JODEE MUNDY COLLABORATIONS + CRITICAL STAGES TOURING

A smart, touching and deeply personal work.

It wasn’t until Jodee Mundy was five years old and lost at Kmart when she realised the rest of her family was Deaf. In Personal, Jodee conveys her experience as the only hearing person in a Deaf family, through a captivating blend of performance, storytelling, multimedia

On Heat

LEAH SHELTON

Sexual Politics in the age of all-you-can-eat.

Love latex and hate the patriarchy? Come revel in this steamy takedown of the backlash that’s changing how we live and love and fight and f*ck.

Absurdist lip-synch meets high-camp performance art in this pop-fuelled critique of sexual politics by psycho-siren Leah Shelton (BATSHIT).

DATES Wed 30 Aug - Sat 2 Sept

TIME Wed + Thurs 7.30pm, Fri 7.30pm & 9.30pm, Sat 8.30pm

TICKETS $30 - $45

DURATION 55 mins

SUITABLE Recommended for ages 18+

AUSLAN INTERPRETED SESSION Thurs 31 Aug

SPECIAL EVENTS

THURS 7 SEPT

Pre-show Tactile Tour | 6:50pm

A short tour guided by Jodee Mundy offering patrons the opportunity to inspect the set, space and get an overview of key moments in the work prior to the show.

THURS 7 SEPT

Post show Panel Discussion

Hosted by Undercover Artist Festival Director, Maddie Little. (AUSLAN interpreted)

FRI 8 SEPT

Post show Artist Q&A

with Jodee Mundy - entirely signed panel, with AUSLAN interpreters translating to spoken English.

and animation. Told using a captivating blend of performance, storytelling, multimedia and animation, Personal is a smart, touching and often humorous exploration of growing up ‘coda’ - a child of Deaf parents.

DATES Wed 6 - Sat 9 Sept

TIME Wed, Thurs and Fri 7.30pm. Sat 3pm & 7.30pm

TICKETS

$30 - $45

DURATION 50 mins

SUITABLE

For ages 10+. All shows AUSLAN integrated.

Brisbane Festival returns to Metro Arts in 2023, with an incredible lineup of fresh new voices and talent.

Photo: Joel Devereux

Photo: Bryony Jackson

Kuramanunya

KARUL PROJECTS feat. THOMAS E.S KELLY

A ceremony for those who didn’t get their ceremony.

“My feet walk on land that is red blood soaked. Black burnt, yellow sun-drenched country. Stories from thousands of years. Songs eternally kept on the wind and water. I honor lines that have been cut. Poisoned, shot and led to the cliff’s edge. Those who passed to the spirit world before their kin could arrive from the dreaming to continue a physical lineage.”

Remembering the stories that remain unwritten and unspoken, returned to the earth and stars that they arrived from. Acknowledging that First Nations people are descendants of those who fought for land, family

and identity. Not everyone continued to walk this physical world, many returned to the spirit world.

Kuramanunya honours them. Kuramanunya. The story is told.

Thomas E.S.Kelly’s (Minjunbal - Yugambeh/ Wiradjuri/Ni-Vanuatu) new solo dance theatre work pays homage to the First Nations lives lost during colonisation.

Party Ghost

DOUBLE TAKE & CLUSTER ARTS

If Edward Scissorhands were a circus show....

DATES

Wed 13 SeptSat 16 Sept

TIME 7.30pm

TICKETS

$30 - $45

DURATION 50 mins

SUITABLE

Recommended for ages 15+

AUSLAN INTERPRETED SESSION

Fri 15 Sept, 7:30pm

“An outstanding production from a boldly original new circus company.” ArtsHub

“A charismatic delight… I simply cannot remove the grin from my face.”

Upside Adelaide

Cirque, theatre, death and drag come together in this exquisite macabre production by Jarred Dewy and Olivia Porter. Expect a wild mix of dismembered limbs, ghosts and all sorts of outrageous and disturbing shenanigans. Fans of high-level circus and dark comedy will find Party Ghost refreshing,

jaw-dropping and hauntingly hilarious. It’s not for the faint of heart – so come prepared for a little bit of boo and a whole lotta bang for your buck!

Winner Overall Best Circus and Physical Theatre, Adelaide Fringe 2023.

DATES Wed 20 - Sat 23 Sept

TIME Wed, Thurs + Fri 7.30pm, Sat 7.30pm & 9.30pm

TICKETS $30 - $45

DURATION 55 mins

SUITABLE

Recommended for ages 15+

Photo: Jimblah

Photo: Carnival Cinema

Patterns for Future Living

RAE HAYNES

Patterns for Future Living brings together DIY (do-it-yourself) aesthetics with a DIT (do-it-together) ethos.

Engage, contemplate and discover an expansive interconnected future with Patterns for Future Living, a dynamic DIY exhibition that stirs collective action for environmental and ecological justice. Inspired by the works of modernist artist Sonia Delaunay Terk, this space fosters mediation and care through an immersive installation of rhythmic colour, pattern and sound.

Commissioned by Metro Arts and Brisbane Festival, this visionary body of work explores future living patterns, underscoring the interconnectedness of all living things.

Undercurrents

JODY RALLAH

Exploring the undercurrents of Yuggera Djara in an immersive exhibition.

Exchange is a living process of transformation, like conversations that span across generations.

To share and ignite the spirit kept alive between ancient and living relations. Our hearts beat the songs of thousand plus generations, guided in haptic practice,and

embedded and encoded in our exchanges.

Jody Rallah explores the Undercurrents of life on Yuggera Djara, the experience of Country and reflective narratives between sky, land and our role as custodians on Country.

Immersive and intimate forms, including a woven constellation installation, soundscape and ceramic vessels, provide a sense of connectivity to Country and reflections of place and identity.

DATES

Fri 1 - Sat 23 Sept

FREE OPENING EVENT

Saturday 2 Sept 4-6pm

FREE WORKSHOPS

Metro Arts Galleries

Sat 9 Sept + Sat 16 Sept

For gallery opening hourssee metroarts.com.au

FREE WORKSHOPS

Scores for Future Living

This experimental workshop responds to the artist’s archive of protest slogans and invites participants to develop cut-up text collages and ‘protest scores’ as feminist ecological poems for the future.

Date: Saturday 9 September, 10am-12pm

Free: With RSVPs required.

Colour Poems

Join us for a creative workshop with artist Rae Haynes and create collages with recycled textiles and simple stitching and appliqué techniques. No RSVP required.

Suitable for all ages.

Date: Saturday 16 of September, 12 noon - 4pm

Free: drop in anytime between 12pm - 4pm.

DATES

Sat 30 Sept - Sat 28 Oct

For gallery opening hourssee metroarts.com.au

FREE OPENING EVENT

Metro Arts Galleries

Sat 30 Sept, 4 - 6pm

Photo by Joe Ruckli.

Every Brilliant Thing

THAT PRODUCTION COMPANY

A play that celebrates life’s brilliant moments.

“One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop.”

THE GUARDIAN

If you had to make a list, where would you start?

#1 Ice cream

#2 Water fights

#5 Things with stripes

#25 Wearing a cape

#319 Laughing so hard you shoot milk out of your nose

#9998 Watching someone watch your favourite film

Every Brilliant Thing tells the story of a child who, in an effort to help their depressed mother, starts compiling a list of everything that makes life worth living. This play celebrates the small joys and moments of beauty that make life truly brilliant.

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

DATES

Wed 4 - Sat 21 Oct

TIME

7:30pm

TICKETS

$29 - $45

DURATION 80 minutes

SUITABLE

Recommended for ages 13+

ARTIST Q&A POST SHOW Wed 12 Oct

SPOOKTACULAR

BY BRISBARET

Your favourite local variety show filled with more terrifying twists than the brown snake…

Celebrate Halloween with SPOOKTACULAR!

Brisbaret presents a joyful and chaotic celebration of all the incredible performing artists creating, right now, in this city. A topical variety cabaret filled with music, comedy, burlesque, the absurd, the offbeat, and this time, the spooky!

DATES Tues 31 Oct TIME 7pm

TICKETS $35 + booking fee

Brisbaret is back with its chaotic mix of the best Bris-lebrities (yes Bris-lebrities, like celebrities but actually hot and local) bringing you the silly, the topical and ridiculous. Prepare for frights and delights in a one night only Haunted House, or as they prefer, Queenslander of Curiosities!

DURATION 110 min (+ intermission)

SUITABLE

Photo: Chris Patrick Hansen

Photo: Jade Ellis

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

University of Canberra Honours Degree 2023 Exhibition

CHRISTINE MILES AND MARINA DANIELS

This showcase exhibition will highlight the work of two students completing an Honours degree in visual arts at the University of Canberra, in partnership with TAFE Queensland.

This year the Honours research project at University of Canberra ranged from visual art to fashion, music and acting. The format of the program is creative practice-based research,

which allows students the freedom to explore a range of approaches based on their individual interests. Showcase artists for the 2023 exhibition are Marina Daniels and Christine Miles.

P.H.D.

HOUSE OF ALEXANDER

Back in the house… for one night only.

“...Extraordinary… a showcase of talent, of resilience, and of joy”

Frooty

Curated by Ella Ganza in association with Joshua Taliani, P.H.D. delivers a new chapter of queer storytelling, fusing together a one-of-akind show that investigates the ‘overlooked’ side of lived

queer experiences through the multi-cultural lens of our queer siblings living in socalled Australia.

Featuring the children of the House of Alexander, P.H.D. reclaims our community’s shared queer and cultural experiences in a cabaret showcasing blak and brown queer excellence.

DATE

Thurs 2 Nov

TIME 7pm

TICKETS

$25 + booking fee

DURATION 60 mins

SUITABLE

Recommended for ages 18+

DATES

Thurs 2 - Sat 11 Nov

FREE OPENING EVENT

Metro Arts Galleries. Thurs 2 Nov, 6-8pm For gallery opening hours - see metroarts.com.au

Image:Artwork by Marina Daniels.

Photo by Natalie Lorenz

SHE IS

VARIOUS ARTISTS

A night of poetry and spoken word.

Curated by poetry champion Huda Fadlelmawla, She Is celebrates BIPOC women through art.

Enjoy a night of spoken word, music and dance as your host Huda introduces you to some of Brisbane’s best female artists - before rounding out the night with her acclaimed poetry. She Is provides a platform for young BIPOC women to come together and define femininity and womanhood through their own lens and art form.

PANEL DISCUSSION: BIPOC WOMEN IN THE ARTS

Join a thought-provoking pre-show panel discussion that delves into the intersection of gender and race within the creative realm. This inclusive panel discussion will include an audience Q&A.

Tickets: Free for She Is ticket holders | otherwise $10

DATES

Fri 17 Nov

TIME 7pm

TICKETS

$25 - $30 + booking fee

DURATION 60 mins

SUITABLE

Recommended for ages 14+

SPECIAL EVENT

Pre-show Panel discussion: 6pm

TORSION

VARIOUS ARTISTS | CURATED BY KYLE WEISE

Sneakers, Consumerism & Contemporary Art

Sneakers embody the tensions of the contemporary moment, where the immaterial (the brand) surpasses the material (the shoe), and where the seduction of consumerism sits uneasily alongside resistance to capitalism.

Torsion includes new and existing work by local and international artists - the figure of the sneaker acts as a symbol for contemporary capitalism, where even the self is a brand to be cultivated.

For gallery opening hours - see metroarts.com.au

Photo: Shan Jacobe

creative development Program

Metro Arts’ Creative Development Program supports artists in the creation of new work - as they experiment with ideas, new forms, collaborations and new ways of working.

Within our studio space in West End, artists are supported with designated space, advice and financial assistance - so they can dream big, create new work, practice and prepare ideas for the next big step in their careers.

Discover more about the artists involved in our 2023 Creative Development Program via our website.

FLORENCE

ELISE GREIG

Elise Greig, in partnership with Metro Arts, is developing the world premiere new music theatre work, Florence. Flamboyant Queenslander Florence Broadhurst was a charismatic risk taker who turned the Australian wallpaper world on its head. An adaptation of Helen O’Neill’s beautiful book, Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives, this new music theatre work explores the life of an enigmatic and extraordinary Australian.

HAVE YOU MET…?

AMY ZHANG

Have you met…? will create a digital “blinddate” experience for two dancers to explore the idea of fostering intimacy and cultural connection using both movement and digital methodologies and how it compares to the pace of physical presence.The work features two dancers of East Asian descent who have been raised Buddhist and live in Australia - Australian-born and raised contemporary dancer, Billy Keohavong (Laos/Australian) and street dancer, Toshiya Maruyama (Japan) who was born and raised in Japan.

MATRIARCHS

OLIVIA ADAMS

Matriarchs is an exploration of identity through the stories of the women who have come before; Mothers, Grandmothers, Great Grandmothers. This new contemporary dance work by Olivia Adams explores how their experiences as Indigenous women shaped them and therefore their descendants. A journey of reconnecting and intergenerational healing. Matriarchs has been supported by BlakDance’s Residency Program.

DANCE LEADS TO CHAOS

BRING A PLATE DANCE COMPANY

Dance Leads to Chaos is an exploration of what it means and could mean to have dance restricted, limited, or taken away from our lives.

This creative development by Bring a Plate Dance will engage the community in free and open-to-the-public workshops exploring connecting themes of isolation, restriction, expression and identity. The work gathers inspiration from the COVID-19 dance restrictions of movement in public spaces, venues and entertainment areas.

Metro Arts’ Creative Development Program is proudly supported by Brisbane City Council

Image by Sean Dowling

Photo by: Jade Ellis

LEARN, MAKE & CREATE AT THE MAVA ARTS STUDIO & WORKSHOP

Metro Arts has transformed the Norman Park Substation into the MAVA Arts Studio and Workshop - providing much needed studio space and equipment for local artists.

Become a member for unlimited access to our state-of-the-art workshop, fitted out with specialist woodworking, metal-working and digital fabrication equipment. Enjoy skills workshops by makers and artists, and learn how to master the tools, build and create.

How can the community use the space?

Prototyping

Testing, brainstorming and experimenting with ideas and models before large-scale development in Public Art, Contemporary art exhibitions or home DIY projects.

Tool Making

Creating custom tools such as knives, spanners, bottle openers and many more selfdirected projects.

Sign Creation

Creating custom signs and text art works for exhibition projects or home DIY jobs.

Sculpture Creation

Mould-making, woodcarving, armature design, clay building, plinth building, and fabrication.

Painting Stretcher Making

Build and design custom size stretchers for canvas.

Restoration

Furniture design and upcycling materials.

Inductions

Upgrade skills and experience with metal and woodworking tools.

Workshops

Boutique classes designed to teach new artistic techniques and skills in metal and woodworking.

FIND OUT MORE

Events and Function Hire

HOST YOUR PARTY OR EVENT AT METRO ARTS!

Our unique venue spaces can accommodate a range of events:

New Benner Theatre

Private parties, conferences, product launches, theatre productions, film festivals and more!

Studio Spaces and Galleries

Photography and video shoots, table reads, auditions, workshops, classes and more.

Factory Lane Parties, cocktails, speeches and pre-andpost event functions.

With affordable options, we can take care of food and beverage, entertainment, tech and sound, wait-staff, whatever you need.

And - by choosing to host your event at Metro Arts, you also directly support the future of Australian contemporary art.

Find out more: metroarts.com.au/venues or email us at info@metroarts.com.au

MAKE A NIGHT OF IT!

Before you catch a show at Metro Arts, enjoy dinner discounts at select restaurants within the West Village precinct, West End. We’re thrilled to partner with Cheeky Poke Bar for a Dinner + Show package so you can enjoy cheap eats before the theatre!

Visiting Us

Location

The easiest way to access Metro Arts is to enter West Village from Boundary Street, wander through the garden area known as The Common, and make your way down Factory Lane.

Factory Lane is our outdoor bar and foyer space, and the centre of our Metro Arts precinct. From there you can access our bar and galleries or venture downstairs to our intimate, underground theatre space.

Transport

The closest stops are the 199, 198, 196, 192 and 60 bus routes. We are also located within a short walk from the South Brisbane train station and Cultural Centre busway. Visit the Translink website to plan your best route.

Parking

West Village has 450 secure on-site parking bays (free for 2 hours) accessible via Mollison Street. For further pricing details visit metroarts. com.au/visiting-us. Alternatively, there is limited on street parking available but please note parking meters may apply.

Accessibility

Metro Arts is dedicated to supporting access and making everyone feel welcome. Please contact Metro Arts on 07 3002 7100 or info@metroarts. com.au for patrons requiring assistance.

Metro Arts supports the Companion Card program. For patrons who require the assistance of a companion or carer, a second ticket is issued at no cost to the Companion Card holder. Please phone Metro Arts during business hours to organise.

Bookings

metroarts.com.au or Phone: 07 3002 7100

BOX OFFICE

Opening Hours

Mon – Fri 10am – 4pm and 90 minutes prior to performance start time

Our Partners

Government Partners

Metro Arts is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. Metro Arts is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Metro Arts’ Creative Development Program is proudly supported by Brisbane City Council. Norman Park Substation No. 9 is assisted by Brisbane City Council. Metro Arts Visual Arts (MAVA) Substation is supported by Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.

Programming Partners

Founding Venue Partner

Education Partner Media Partner

Strategic Partners Corporate Donor Partners

Bones Accounting

Heritage Conveyancing

Metro Arts Patron, Wesley Enoch AM.

Oatley Wines

We acknowledge Tim and Gina Fairfax for their generosity as founding donors of the Metro Arts Future Fund. Metro Arts gratefully acknowledges the generosity of all our donors